A Sentimental Journey
A Sentimental Journey is a musical based on the life of the lovely and talented Doris Day. Developed and presented by a British theatre company, The Mill at Sonning, it was written by Adam Rolston, is directed by Alvin Rakoff, and is making its United States premiere at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. It stars British actress Sally Hughes as Doris Day, Conor Sheridan as Terry Melcher, and Nick Waring (Al Jorden, William Kappelhoff, Marty Melcher and others), Elizabeth Elvin (Alma Kappelhoff, Grace Raine and others), and Tom Sellwood (George Weidler, Frank Sinatra and others).
Doris Day was a legendary star in the '50's and '60's. She was blond, beautiful, effervescent, and talented (could sing, dance, and act in comedies and dramas). She was thought of as the "girl next door." But what goes on in someone's personal life is much different from the movies, and Doris Day's life was no exception. She was a success as a singer and actress, but a failure in her life's choices.
At the age of seventeen she married a musician who turned out to be overly jealous and a wife beater. After she left him, she gave birth to a baby boy, Terry. It appeared that her second husband was a more sound choice, but while married to him, Doris became a successful star. He proved to be jealous of her success and left her. All Doris ever wanted was a happy marriage and lots of children, but she never was able to fulfill that dream. Later, she married Marty Melcher who adopted Terry, but eventually proved to be only interested in Doris's money and keeping her working, no matter how good or bad a project was. He took over all of her affairs and her life in general, and when he died, after a seventeen year marriage, he left her with debts and penniless. There were problems with Terry as well, but he proved to be her savior in a lawsuit over the debts incurred by Melcher.
Sheridan, as Terry, appears at the beginning of the play as the narrator of the story of Doris Day, while he and all of the cast present their talents as singers, dancers and actors. Waring, Elvin and Sellwood are especially adept at performing the different characters who were part of Doris Day's life. Sally Hughes has a wonderful melodious voice, and as she sings the songs that were some of Doris Days' hits, she sounds very much like the lady herself. Jo Stewart, pianist, conducts the onstage band. The play is well written and flows effortlessly.
Fortunately, Doris Day, who was born on April 3, 1924, is content and happy, living a life that she enjoys in Carmel, California as an animal activist. (A Maltese-Shitzu, Lilly O'Donnell (Lily) makes a special appearance, in the arms of Sally Hughes, in the production.)
Plays Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 PM, with two Wednesday matinees, November 9 and 16, at 2 PM., through November 20, at the El Portal Theatre's Main Stage, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., in North Hollywood. Call (866) 811-4111, or (818) 508-4200 for tickets, or order online at elportaltheatre.com.